| Gasoline prices continue to rise, costing you money. | | | | InfoSpace - |
| At the risk of dating this article, previously unseen | | | | |
| U.S. gas prices of over $3.00 are now common in | | | | Using InfoSpace's "Near an address" feature on their |
| some areas. I know those in Europe and elsewhere | | | | front page, enter in your street address and type of |
| pay much more, but we can agree over the past | | | | business, and find close-by businesses never |
| year that many countries have recently seen huge | | | | previously noticed while on the road. This beats |
| spikes. | | | | driving elsewhere and spending more money on gas! |
| | | | |
| Rising gas prices affect all of us in some degree. | | | | 4. Stay Out of Traffic |
| Unless you walk, your cost of commuting to work | | | | |
| increases. The prices of goods climb due to increased | | | | Tired of idling? We all want to arrive at our |
| transportation costs. How can you decrease the | | | | destinations sooner, avoiding gas-guzzling traffic jams. |
| impact on your pocketbook? | | | | These websites provide traffic information, provided |
| | | | you live in supported metro areas: |
| Luckily the Internet offers many different ways to | | | | |
| help ease your burden. Note that many of these | | | | MSN Autos Traffic Reports - |
| sites are geared towards the United States. | | | | - |
| | | | Yahoo Maps, Driving Directions, and Traffic - |
| 1. Search for Cheaper Gas Prices Online | | | | |
| | | | Check your local department of transportation as it |
| Cheaper gasoline prices may be available but tough | | | | may display traffic information online. This can include |
| to find. Instead of driving from station to station | | | | cameras, incident information, and/or road closures. |
| checking for cheap prices or traveling 20 miles out of | | | | Perform a Google search similar to the following: |
| the way, try the following sites: | | | | |
| | | | California dot |
| - | | | | Tennessee dot |
| - | | | | New York dot |
| | | | |
| Carefully read the times reported for the gasoline | | | | 5. Shop over the Internet with No Shipping Costs |
| prices! The cost of gas can rise or fall sharply (though | | | | |
| it tends to do more of the former) in the span of a | | | | When done properly, shopping online can save you |
| few hours. | | | | money otherwise spent on gasoline. Many shops now |
| | | | offer free USA shipping (restrictions may apply) if |
| 2. Use Mapping Services to Plan Your Trips More | | | | you spend a certain amount of money, increasing |
| Wisely | | | | your savings! Some online shopping sites with free |
| | | | shipping offers at the time this article was written |
| It just makes sense that if you know where you're | | | | (listed for informational purposes only) are: |
| going and don't get lost, you'll require less gas getting | | | | |
| there. Browse these websites to help you plan your | | | | Amazon - |
| journey; some even display satellite maps to further | | | | Barnes and Noble - |
| assist your travels: | | | | - |
| | | | Tower Records - |
| Google Maps - | | | | World of Watches - |
| MapQuest - | | | | Zappos (shoes) - |
| MSN Maps and Directories - | | | | |
| Windows Live Local - | | | | MSN Shopping has a dedicated "Free Shipping |
| | | | Center" directory with even more businesses - |
| Though very helpful, use the above sites as a guide | | | | |
| as 100% accuracy is never guaranteed. | | | | Though fuel prices rise, let the Internet help you |
| | | | cope. Compare gas prices online. Arrive at your |
| 3. Find Nearby Stores | | | | destinations quicker and cheaper using on-line maps. |
| | | | Find nearby businesses with near-address searching, |
| Don't travel miles and miles out of the way and | | | | conserving gas. Shorten your commute time with |
| spend more money on gas to go somewhere when | | | | online travel information. And, travel less often by |
| an equivalent store is just around the corner! | | | | taking advantage of online shopping with free |
| | | | shipping. Use these Internet techniques to stop |
| Google Maps - | | | | spending your money on higher gas prices.Copyright |
| | | | 2006 Andrew Malek.Andrew Malek is the owner of |
| For example, I can query "pizza 30338" to find | | | | the MalekTips computer and technology help site at |
| several eating establishments in or nearby Dunwoody, | | | | MalekTips offers over two thousand tips on saving |
| GA. | | | | time and money and getting more enjoyment out of |
| | | | your computer, digital camera, and the Internet. |